Shut-off valve



Feb. 8, 1938.

R. o. lar-:GGS

SHUT -OFF VALVE Filed NOV. 17, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l 5 n F ,5v/U i f E l 9 f MM N M @7. m 4 a M www am Z 3 l agr/KK Z f 6 Feb. 8, 1938. R Q BEGGS 2,107,975

SHUT -OFF lVALVE Filed Nov. 17, 195e s sheetsfsheef 2 0&7 x ,/45 l 1/z4 ff f' 2 2'/ A forneys Feb. 8, 1938.

R. o. Bx-:GGS

SHUT -OFF VALVE Filed Nov. 17, 19:56

Feb. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES 3 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to improvement in a shut-off valve for oil well tubing and the primary object of the improvement is to provide satisfactory means of shutting oii the iluid flow in a string of tubing in an oil well when it is desired to change cups on the travelling valves oi the well pumping apparatus or otherwise to work on the well.

A further object of the invention is to provide a leak prooi shut-01T valve of a novel and improved construction assuring complete shut ofi of the fluid flow whereby the well apparatus can be worked on without danger of oil flowing out or possibility of iire or injury to men working thereon.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of the character above described which is capable of many and varied uses in connection with well apparatus.

The above objects are obtained by the means and mechanism hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of an oil well and well working apparatus, the string of tubing embodying the invention being shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a longitudiinal sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

v Figure 3 is a sectional fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the tubing valve inserts comprising the invention.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on line lof Fig. 6 illustrating the interlocking connec-` tion between the valve plate of the invention.

Figure 5 is a detail view of a ratchet mechanism.

Figures 6 and l are transverse sections on line 6-6 and `l-l respectively of Fig. 2.

Figure 8 is a top view of the bottom valve plate.

Figure 9 is a bottom View of the top valve plate.

Figure 10 is a detail showing of the upper end of the valve actuating rod.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l of the drawings, ll indicates a well hole having the usual downwardly extending well casing l2 within which is the string of tubing comprising the working valve barrel i3 which may have the usual working valve therein, and on the bottom of which, and between the latter and the foot valve unit i4 containing the usual foot valve is the tubing shut-off valve assembly I5 constituting the present invention. The working valve and foot valve are not shown because they may be any type in the prior art.

This shut-oit valve assembly consists of a sectional valve casing composed of tubes l@ and l'l having a screw joint i8; the upper tube IS having a screw joint Eil with the bottom end of the working valve: barrel i3 and the lower tube Il 5 having a similar joint l with the foot valve unit ifi. As shown in Fig. 3 the valve casing tubes are grooved out at 2l to receive the circular metal plates 22 and 23 of the valve assembly; the upper plate 22 having a tight t in the grooved part of the tube l5 in which it is held stationary by dowel pins iii. and the iower plate 23 having a loose fit in the grooved part of the tube l'l in which it is axially movable as well as rotatable within the limits of the grooved part which is 15? which slides a rod or bar 2&5, and two sections of 20;

the plate are cut out on opposite sides of the center opening to provide valve ports 2l for the passage of fluid therethrough. The under side of the plate is machined smooth to nt the upper face of the lower plate 23 and has an annular recess or channel 28 cut out to receive two lugs or dogs 29 on the upper face of plate 3; these lugs being adapted in one direction of rotation of the plate 23 to ride over the inclined faces of four projections or stops 3@ depending from` quarter poits along the face of the channel to prevent reverse rotation of plate 23. There is a square hole 3l in the center of plate 23 which is machined to iit the rod 2B loose enough to allow for the passage therethrough of the rod 26 without binding, and valve ports 32 are provided on di ametrically opposite sides of the square hole for registration with the Valve ports in the upper valve plate 22. Projections 35 are so located in the channel 28 that the dogs 2S abut the stop faces thereof only when the ports 2l of plate 22 and port 32 of plate 23 are fully aligned or fully disaligned.

Fitted into the lower end of tube ll with which it has a screw threaded connection is a guide plate or spider 33 consisting of inner and outer concentric rings with connecting arms therebetween as in Fig. 7; the inner ring or hub Sii of which encircles a rotatable ratchet disk 35 having a spring pressed ratchet 36 engaging ratchet teeth 3l on the inner circumference of the spider hub. Disk 35 is confined between upper and lower bearing plate 31 to which it is attached by bolt 38, these plates being on opposite sides of the hub to retain the disk therein. Disk 35 and plate 38 are apertured to provide a centrally located hole or bore of square cross section to receive the lower end of the rod 26. Rod 26 is of square cross section and of a length to extend from a point spaced above the valve plates 22 and 23 through and beyond said plates to a short distance below the guide plates 33. Pinned or otherwise xed to the rod below the upper end thereof is a spring retainer body or anged collar 39 on the top face of which is a gasket 40. The flange of the collar provides a rest plate for the upper end of the compression spring 4I circling the rod 26 and being supported at its lower end on the uppermost one of the bearing plates 3l of the spider ratchet disk. This spring is tensioned to hold plate 23 up against plate 22 with the gasket 4!) providing a fluid seal at the opening 3|, and the spring will compress under a predetermined pressure applied downwardly to the top end of rod 26. The rod is reduced at its upper end to provide a shoulder or seat for a stop ring 42 and a screw threaded tapered pin i3 to receive an anvil head or cap 44 (or an extension member if needed). The stop ring is adapted by its abutment with the top surface of the Valve plate 22 to limit the downward movement of the rod 2S. In order that the valve plate 23 will be given a quarter turn every time the rod is pressed downwardly, the square portion 43 of the latter between the sealing gasket 4B' and the stop ring 42 is twisted through a quarter turn as shown in Figures 3 and 10; the part of the rod having the quarter turn being slightly larger in cross sectional dimension than the lower or spring encircled part.

In the operation of the device, assuming the parts to be positioned as shown in Fig. 3 with the valve ports 2l and 32 in line for the free iiow of fluid therethrough and it being desired that such well be shut off temporarily for repairs, etc.,

the rod 2G is pressed downwardly by suitable means inserted in the top of the working valve barrel I3 such as the working valve on the extra long stroke, or any small rod or tube and con- Atacting the anvil head 44. As the rod is forced down, the square twisted part i5 in passing through the square opening 3l in the movable plate 23 causes the latter to be rotated through a quarter turn which brings the imperforate portions of the plate over the port 21 of the upper plate 22, thereby closing said port to the flow of fluid. Rod 25 is prevented from turning about its own longitudinal axis at this time by the ratchet mechanism of the lower guide plate 33, which mechanism works in opposition to the tortional tendency of the descending rod. When the pressure on the rod is removed and the latter is urged upwardly by the force of the spring 4|, it is necessarily rotated a quarter turn when passing through the square opening in the previously rotated plate 23 which is now held against reversed rotation by the stops 3D'. Since the spider ratchet`is free to turn in the direction in which the upwardly moving rod tends to rotate, the rod is permitted the necessary rotation while moving upwardly through the stationary plate 23. The rod in its next descent causes plate 23 to be moved a quarter turn for disaligning ports 21 and 32 to thereby open the passage of the pipe to fluid iiow therethrough.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the device provides an eicient satisfactory valve means capable of use in connection with the various operations of an oil well wherever it is desirous to obtain a cut oi of fluid flow.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with an oil well apparatus including a working barrel, and a ioot valve, of a shut-off Valve at the bottom of said working barrel and interposed between the latter and the said foot valve and operable to shut off fluid iicw through said working barrel.

12. The combination with an oil well apparatus including a Working barrel. and a foot valve, of a coupling tube between the said working barrel and the said foot valve, and a shut-ofi valve in said coupling tube operable to shut oir" fluid ilow into said valve.

3. A shutoii valve for oil well tubing comprising a tubular casing adapted ior insertion in the oil well tubing, a fixed transversely disposed plate in said casing having fluid ow port radially of a round opening at the center of the plate, a rotatable transversely extending plate disposed against the iixed plate and having flow port radially of a center square opening and circumerentially spaced to register with the ports of the xed plate on ultimate quarter turns of the rotatable plate, a slide rod of square cross section extending through the said openings in the said plate and being provided with a quarter turned portion fitting the square opening in the rotatable plate, ratchet means for holding said rod against rotation when the latter under predetermined pressure applied thereto is moved in one direction through the said plate whereby the rotatable plate is given a quarter turn, means for reversing the direction of movement of the said rod automatically when the applied pressure decreases below the predetermined amount, and means preventing reverse rotation of said rotatable plate when the direction of movement of the said rod is reversed.

RICHARD O. BEGGS. 

